At the Cotton Bag Co. we’re pretty obsessed about cotton, as you can probably imagine. The environmental benefits of using cotton bags are well-known, they’re incredibly diverse and they also look incredibly stylish slung over the shoulder. But we were interested to learn some unusual facts about cotton recently, and thought we’d share them!
Cotton Facts
- Did you know that just one cotton bale (which usually weighs around 227kg) when not turned into our cotton bags will make either: 215 pairs of jeans; 250 single bed sheets; 1200 t-shirts; 3000 nappies, or 680,000 cotton balls.
- People with allergies or sensitive skin are advised to wear clothing made from cotton, because it’s hypoallergenic, so won’t cause irritation.
- Cotton isn’t just used for clothing – you’ll also find it in products as diverse as coffee filters; tents; bank notes; book bindings and medical swabs.
- Of all non-edible crops, cotton is grown the most around the world. But of course it is also edible. We use cotton seed oil for cooking, and it also turns up in margarine. The seed is also fed to cattle.
- It’s a very versatile crop. Almost every part of the plant is used in some industry.
- Cotton is a great heat conductor, making it an excellent clothing choice for either hot summer days or cold winter nights.
- Cotton is also one of the easiest fabrics to dye, which is great for us, because it means we can come up with some brilliant designs for your cotton bags!
- Cotton plants need to grow for over 200 days and usually starts between December and March
- The first known use of cotton dates back to 6000 BC meaning cotton has been used for over 8000 years
- We have cotton to thank for electricity! Thomas Edison used a cotton thread as the filament for the first light bulb back in the late 1800s.
If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of cotton, or how distributing cotton bags to your customers can help your brand stand out from the competition, then please get in touch and we’ll be happy to give you the rundown, alongside some more facts about cotton!
